turnsole

[turn-sohl]

noun

any of several plants regarded as turning with the movement of the sun.

a European plant, Chrozophora tinctoria, of the spurge family, yielding a purple dye.

the purple dye prepared from this plant; litmus.

Origin of turnsole

1325–75; Middle English turnesole < Middle French tournesol the dye < Italian tornasole the plant, literally, (it) turns (toward the) sun, on the model of Greek hēliotrópion heliotrope

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Examples from the Web for turnsole

Historical Examples of turnsole

A violet tint is given by the tinctures of turnsole and cochineal.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines
Andrew Ure
The lower part from a was filled with water tinged blue, or rather purple, with the juice of turnsole, or archil.
Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air
Joseph Priestley
He styles the colouring substance itself cutbear, persio, or turnsole; and distributes the lichens as follows:—1st.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines
Andrew Ure

British Dictionary definitions for turnsole

turnsole

noun

any of various plants having flowers that are said to turn towards the sun

a euphorbiaceous plant, Croton tinctoria, of the Mediterranean region that yields a purple dye

the dye extracted from this plant

Word Origin for turnsole

C14: from Old French tournesole, from Old Italian tornasole, from tornare to turn + sole sun, from Latin sōl sun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012